Fashion: Update

Fashion rumour has it that Rupert Everett, Hollywood's favourite luvvie, has landed himself the role as Seventies disco designer Halston in a biopic of his life.

The movie would boast a star-studded cast as did Halston's own life. He was the designer responsible for putting Jackie Kennedy in pill box hats, as well as for dressing many of the revellers at the infamous club Studio 54, the subject of another forthcoming film.

Among his most devoted fans was Liza Minelli, who to this day will not part with her Halston designs.

The designer died in 1990 at the age of 57 after a life of fashion fabulousness, throwing parties for Bianca Jagger and the rest of the "in" set of the Seventies.

Perhaps he will be able to re-use that ab fab line from My Best Friend's Wedding: "Love the shoes, love the hat, love the bag. Just love it."

The fashion world musical chairs continue as the haute couture shows in Paris loom at the end of the month. The latest position to be filled after months of speculation is the job of chief designer at French luxury goods house Celine.

The label is certainly ripe for a revamp and is part of the all-powerful conglomerate that put John Galliano and Alexander McQueen in their Paris hot seats at Dior and Givenchy.

This time, the job goes to an American, Michael Kors, a designer who specialises in easy-to-wear sportswear.

Meanwhile, there was speculation that Chanel was up for grabs because Kaiser Karl was getting a wee bit bored with ransacking Coco Chanel's archives four times a year. The rumour mongers had Yohji Yamamoto and Helmut Lang both already ensconced at the house. But it wouldn't be Chanel without Karl and he has signed his contract until 2002. By then, he'll be designing Chanel space suits, no doubt.

Pucci, that old psychedelic favourite, is going through something of a renaissance over in Florence. American designer Stephan Janson, who shows his own luxury evening wear in Milan, has been hired by the family firm to travel the Pucci universe and revamp the label with a 50-piece collection of womenswear and a smaller offering for men to include loungewear, robes and ties.

Bargain of the week: one full-length lilac, satin-backed crepe bias- cut evening dress by John Galliano spotted at Liberty's sale. Was pounds 1,095. Sold yesterday to one eagle-eyed member of the Independent's fashion team for pounds 99. OK, so it had a tear in the skirt, but with a reduction of almost pounds 1,000, nothing that a bit of making do and mending can't fix.

Tamsin Blanchard